Maoist shoot CPM leader dead

A CPI-M local committee member, Sufal Mandi (35), was shot dead by Maoists at Ghatbera village in Balarampur, Purulia, early today.

He was dragged out of his residence and shot dead. His body was later found near his village. The Maoists also tried to snatch a licensed gun from a villager, Asim Kumar Mondal. When he resisted, the Maoists set his house on fire.

This is the second time in a month that Maoists are targeting the CPI-M as a local committee member of the party’s unit at Barabazar, Bagirath Karmakar, was brutally killed by Maoists on 1 November.

The additional superintendent of district police, Mr Pranab Kumar Das, rushed to the spot. He said the presence of Maoists leaflets and posters had suggested the involvement of the Maoists.

Mrs Phulmani Mandi, wife of the victim, said: “The members of the squad told us that my husband had been targeted as he was a party member.”

In Kolkata, home secretary Mr Prasadranjan Ray said: “ A Maoist squad from Jharkhand seem to be responsible for the killing of the CPI-M leader.”

The Purulia SP, Mr Ashok Kumar Prasad also admitted that Maoist activities were on the rise in Purulia district. Villagers were also threatened by the Maoists who had assembled for the operation. “Nearly 35 armed Maoist were in and around village,” police said. “They fled towards Jharkhand area, crossing border easily,” they said. A police picket was posted in the village.

Meanwhile, body of the victim arrived in Purulia Sadar Hospital for the postmortem this evening from Balarampur. Areas like Belpahari, Binpur and Lalgarh remained quite tense on the last day of the 48-hour bandh called by the Maoists.